Hey y'all! At the start of each year, I like to jot down a list of places that I would visit. One of my ultimate favorite things to do is travel. I love exploring the world around me and taking advantage of all of the experiences that our planet has to offer. In fact, when I first started this blog, my intentions were to focus on Travel and Southern Lifestyle- hence the name Maps & Monograms. The Maps (travel) aspect kind of took a backseat as I got my little website established. One of my goals for this year is to share more travel related posts so that this blog lives up to its name- Maps & Monograms.
Last year I had the opportunity to visit Alaska, Washington, British Columbia and the Yukon and as blown away by the Pacific Northwest. I knew that I would fall in love with Alaska but I had no idea Washington would steal my heart as well. While in Alaska we spent a day in the fjords, hiked throughout the rainforests of Ketchikan (where we saw a gazillion bald eagles and I kissed a slug), spotted bear cubs walking down the streets of downtown Juneau, visited a famous brothel in Skagway and marveled at the Mendenhall Glacier in the Tongass National Forest. It was truly an adventure packed journey- that didn't stop there! We used Skagway as a base to wander into British Columbia and The Yukon where we visited gorgeous glacier lakes, the world's smallest dessert and got to hang with goats and alpaca.
We were able to pack a lot of adventure into our journey out west. I loved absolutely every second of it. Not only did we get to see bald eagles and bears but we also saw countless amounts of seals and whales- humpback and orca. It was so incredible!
I don't know if anything will ever top my Alaskan Adventure!
This year my bucket list contains three countries that my family frequents, one state I'd like to explore more, one state that I've never visited and one state that I've only flown in and out of.
Texas- I have a feeling Texas and I are going to get along just fine. Ashley wants to head to Dallas/Arlington to see her Dallas Cowboys play at home. She's been a Cowboys fan her whole life and wants to see her favorite player, Jason Witten, play at home before he retires. We plan to explore Dallas and (fingers crossed) visit the Silos in Waco.
Maine- I've never been to Maine before but I'm mildly obsessed with it. My mom and her brothers frequently share childhood stories about their camping trips in The Pine Tree State and I would love to check it out myself! I'm pretty sure it's going to be love at first sight.
Tennessee- I've been to Tennessee plenty of times but it's usually just to go mining for a couple of hours or to spend some time near the falls in Chattanooga. I would love to explore more of what the state has to offer.
Okay, so I have to be honest- this will be my sixth trip to Mexico, Honduras, and Belize. But I'm pretty sure there's no rule about putting a location on your bucket list more than once, right?
Belize- I have a bit of a girl crush on Belize. Like... I'm pretty sure it's my favorite country on the planet. Typically when I go to Belize, I arrive in Belize City and immediately head westward towards the Guatemalan border. This time, I plan on taking a different approach and am planning to go north to check out some beaches and reefs.
Mexico- There's a lot to love about the country of Mexico. From the white sandy beaches and turquoise water to the cenotes, Mayan ruins, and rich culture, this country has a lot to offer. This time I'm toying with the idea of visit Xcaret Archaeological Park but I may just use this time to relax and unwind on the beach (says the girl from Florida that NEVER goes to her local beaches...).
Honduras- When we visit Honduras, we spend time on the barrier island of Roatan. I've explored Roatan from coast to coast and each time I visit I fall more and more in love. Last year, we visited a small private island off of Roatan called Little French Key- let me tell y'all, it's heaven on Earth! Since it is a private island, they limit how many people are able to visit each day. I've already put in my reservation for 20 people and I absolutely cannot wait to visit this remarkable place again! If you've never been to Honduras, I strongly suggest looking into booking a trip there. Check out this article Guanaja: Why the Tiny Bay Island Should be on Your Bucket List from AllTheRooms for a bit more travel inspiration.
Where do you want to explore this year? I'd love to know! Drop your bucket list in the comment section below!